Quick answer
Direct answer
Risk scores
| CVSS metric | What it means |
|---|---|
| Attack vector (AV:N) | Network: reachable remotely |
| Attack complexity (AC:L) | Low complexity |
| Attack requirements (AT:P) | Attack requirements present |
| Privileges required (PR:N) | No privileges required |
| User interaction (UI:A) | Active user interaction |
| Confidentiality (VC:H) | High confidentiality impact |
| Integrity (VI:H) | High integrity impact |
| Availability (VA:H) | High availability impact |
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
About Vim
CVE-2026-52860 affects Vim, a product from Vim. Before acting, confirm where Vim runs in your estate, who owns it and whether it is reachable from the internet, because exposure decides real risk more than the score alone.
What the flaw is
In plain terms: Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to version 9.2.0597, Vim's Python omni-completion executes reconstructed function and class definitions from the current buffer with exec() as part of populating the completion dictionary. Python evaluates function default values, parameter annotations, and class base expressions at definition time, so a hostile buffer can execute attacker-controlled Python expressions during omni-completion. The existing g:pythoncomplete_allow_import mitigation (GHSA-52mc-rq6p-rc7c) does not cover this path, because the attacker-controlled code is not a harvested import/from statement. This issue has been patched in version 9.2.0597.
The weakness class is Code Injection. Attacker input is executed as program code.
Based on its CVSS vector, the flaw can be reached over the network, needs no login, and relies on a user taking an action. Apply the vendor fix and confirm exposure on internet facing and business critical assets first.
Affected versions and timeline
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Vim |
| Affected versions | Vim before 9.2.0597 |
| Published | Jun 11, 2026 |
| Last modified | Sep 17, 2026 |
| Added to CISA KEV | Not listed |
| Assigning CNA | security-advisories@github.com |
How to detect it
- Inventory every instance of Vim and record the running version against the affected range above.
- Check external attack surface scans for internet facing instances of the component.
- Review logs on affected systems for unusual requests, errors or new processes around the vulnerable function.
- Confirm with an authenticated vulnerability scan once your scanner has a check for this CVE.
How to fix it
- Apply the fixed version of Vim named in the vendor advisory.
- If patching must wait, restrict network access to the affected service and put it behind authentication or a web application firewall rule.
- Rescan after the change to prove the exposure is gone, then close the ticket.
CTEM action plan
| CTEM stage | What to do for this CVE |
|---|---|
| Scope | Add every business service that depends on Vim to the current CTEM cycle. |
| Discover | Find all instances, including shadow and cloud deployments, and record versions and exposure. |
| Prioritize | Rank using EPSS and CVSS together with asset exposure and business impact. |
| Validate | Confirm the flaw is reachable and exploitable in your environment and that compensating controls work. |
| Mobilize | Assign the fix to the asset owner with a due date matched to the priority, then verify closure. |
CWE References
- CWE-94: Code Injection More CVEs with this weakness
- CWE-94: Code Injection More CVEs with this weakness
Technical References
Frequently asked questions
Related CVEs
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0840, runtime/plugin/netrwPlugin.vim loads netrw and runtime/pack/dist/opt/netrw/autoload/netrw.vim constructs Bookmarks, History, and Targets menu entries by interpolating attacker-controlled directory paths into executed :menu commands. s:NetrwBookmarkMenu(), s:NetrwTgtMenu(), g:netrw_menu_escape, EX_TRLBAR, and netrw#MakeTgt() fail to neutralize the | command separator or single quotes at five construction sites, allowing a crafted path browsed or bookmarked in GUI Vim to execute arbitrary Ex and operating-system commands. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0840.
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0839, the runtime/ftplugin/sh.vim, runtime/ftplugin/zsh.vim, and runtime/ftplugin/ps1.vim filetype plugins pass attacker-controlled Visual-mode selections from K through keywordprg commands without safely separating shell arguments. fnameescape() and PATH_ESC_CHARS do not neutralize shell metacharacters before ShKeywordPrg, ZshKeywordPrg, or GetHelp invokes bash, zsh, or PowerShell, allowing arbitrary operating-system commands to execute with the privileges of the user running Vim. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0839.
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0847, runtime/autoload/vimball.vim allows a crafted vimball member named .VimballRecord to overwrite the installation record with attacker-chosen commands. When vimball#RmVimball() later processes the matching record entry, the stored Ex commands, including operating-system commands invoked through :!, execute with the privileges of the user running Vim. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0847.
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0846, set_sofo() in src/spellfile.c reuses sl_sal_first[] without resetting values left by set_sal_first(), so a crafted spell file containing an SN_SAL section before an SN_SOFO section causes under-counted mapping lists and attacker-influenced writes beyond a heap allocation. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0846.
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0735, the C omni-completion script in runtime/autoload/ccomplete.vim interpolates the typeref: or typename: extension field of a tags entry, without escaping, into a :vimgrep pattern that is run through :execute. Because :vimgrep honors the bar as a command separator, a crafted tag field can close the search pattern and append an arbitrary Ex command; opening a hostile .c file whose project tags file contains such an entry and invoking C omni-completion runs that command as the editing user. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0735.
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0736, the PHP omni-completion script in runtime/autoload/phpcomplete.vim interpolates a class or trait name, taken from the contents of the edited buffer, into a search() pattern that is run via win_execute() without escaping. A name containing a single quote can terminate the search() string argument early, and because the bar is honored as an Ex command separator, the remainder of the name is run as Ex commands; via the :! command this allows arbitrary operating-system command execution when a victim opens a crafted PHP file and invokes omni-completion. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0736.
Earn your free CTEM certification.
Learn to scope, prioritize, validate and mobilize fixes for CVEs like CVE-2026-52860 with a free CTEM certification.
Beginner / Practitioner / Program Leader
Explore certifications